Parallelogram ice tray cavity

ABSTRACT

A flexible, deformable ice tray for twist harvest of ice cubes is formed with a plurality of ice cavities having smoothcontoured sidewalls which define in each case a cavity opening in the shape of a parallelogram having a pair of acute angles and a pair of obtuse angles. The depth of each cavity is less adjacent the acute angles than it is adjacent the obtuse angles to provide improved release of the ice cubes upon the application of a torque about the longitudinal axis of the ice tray, the torque being effective to modify the shape of each parallelogram from that of an acute parallelogram to that of a rectangle.

United States Patent [72] inventor Paul W. Schafi Arlington Heights, 111. [21 Appl. No. 857,822 [22] Filed Sept. 15, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 16, 1971 [73] Assignee Eaton Yale & Towne, Inc.

Cleveland, Ohio 54] PARALLELOGRAM ICE TRAY CAVITY 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 249/127, 249/69 [51] Int. Cl 1328b 7/06 [50] Field 01 Search 249/69, 130, 137, 127

[56] Referencm Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,004,519 6/1935 Chilton 249/69 X Primary Examiner-H. A. Kilby, Jr.

ArlorneySherman, Meroni, Gross & Simpson Hill 1 ABSTRACT: A flexible, deformable ice tray for twist harvest of ice cubes is formed with a plurality of ice cavities having smooth-contoured sidewalls which define in each case a cavity opening in the shape of a parallelogram having a pair of acute angles and a pair of obtuse angles. The depth of each cavity is less adjacent the acute angles than it is adjacent the obtuse angles to provide improved release of the ice cubes upon the application of a torque about the longitudinal axis of the ice tray, the torque being effective to modify the shape of each parallelogram from that of an acute parallelogram to that of a rectangle.

PATENTEDunv 16 l97| SHEET 1 [1F 2 1 N VEN TOR. I

ATTORNEYS PATENTEDunv 15 Ian SHEET 2 UF 2 PJZ/ZZ 56/ BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I Field of the Invention This invention relates to automatic ice-making apparatus and more particularly to flexible ice trays for use with automatic ice making apparatus wherein the ice trays are subjected to a deforming torque to effect release of the ice.

2. Description of the Prior Art I-Ieretofore, distortable ice trays have been provided in automatic ice-making apparatus. Generally, such trays have been designed in various shapes and from various materials in order to improve ice removal from the individual cavities thereof. Generally, these trays have been formed as an array of cavities, each cavity of which has smooth inclined sidewalls, and a bottom wall which is of less dimension than the cavity opening in order to facilitate ice removal. Although various materials and configurations for ice trays have been developed, ice adheres to the surfaces of the cavities and requires an additional force for removal. Such additional force may advantageously be provided in twist harvesting ice-making apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, an ice tray is provided with cavities having smooth contoured walls and cavity openings which are of greater dimension than the cavity bottoms. In addition, the sidewalls which form a cavity define the cavity opening as a parallelogram having a pair of acute angles and a pair of obtuse angles. The cavity walls provide shallow portions adjacent the acute angles and steep portions adjacent the obtuse angles. Upon the application of a torque about the longitudinal axis of the ice tray, the defining edges of the cavity are changed from that of a parallelogram having acute angles toward that of a parallelogram having right angles, that is, toward a rectangular shape. This movement spreads apart the walls of the cavity except for the corners adjacent the acute angles and prevents the ice cube from being pinched by the steep inclined sidewalls which heretofore prevented the ice cubes from dropping out of the tray into a storage receptacle. The shallow inclined corners adjacent the acute angles develop a force to force the ice cubes up and out of the cavities, the more shallow the incline the less twisting torque required. In addition, the provision of shallow inclined walls at only two corners, the acute angle corners, permit the remaining walls to be steep and provides more ice capacity from a larger cavity volume.

The parallelogram cavity is contoured in such a manner that the greatest cavity depth is provided at the cavity center point. For most typical freezing conditions, this construction enables the last portion of liquid center to freeze and expand out against the cavity bottom to effect a self-releasing force against ice adhesion to the tray.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects, features and advantages of the invention, its organization. construction and operation will be readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof. taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, although variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure, and in which:

FIG. I is a side elevational view of an ice-making apparatus in which the invention may be employed;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a flexible deformable ice tray constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the ice tray illustrated in FIG. 2 showing a portion thereof broken away;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic pictorial illustration of a single ice cavity illustrating the shape of the parallelogram in the undeformed and deformed conditions.

2 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings there is generally shown at 10 an automatic ice maker comprising an ice tray II which is rotatably secured to a drive apparatus 12 by way of a shaft 13. The shaft 13 is guidingly received through a boss 24 at a first end of the ice tray 11 and is secured to a second boss 22 at the other end of the ice tray 11. The tray is filled by a water supply (not shown) as is generally known in the art.

Upon freezing of ice in the tray and the receipt of a harvesting order from control apparatus (not shown), the drive apparatus 12 is operable to rotate shaft 13, and accordingly ice tray 11, one revolution. An extensible member 14 is normally positioned in an interference relationship with the rotating tray, preferably somewhat past of the revolution, for example, at so that the end of the ice tray 11 which carried boss 24 is impeded in its rotary motion while the end of the ice tray 11 carrying boss 22 continues to rotate. This imparts a torque along the longitudinal axis of the ice tray to distort the tray and provide forces for releasing the ice from the cavities of the tray. After a predetermined twist of the tray has been performed, the driving apparatus 12 retracts the extended member 14 to permit the associated end of the ice tray to continue its rotation and to effect a snapping action which further aids in dislodging any ice remaining in the ice tray I I.

In the particular apparatus illustrated herein, the tray 11 includes a plurality of ice cavities 15, further referenced l5a-l5 arranged in a side-by-side and end-to-end relation by the interconnecting sections 16 and 17 of the planar portion 18 of the ice tray. The ice cavities 1511-15! are provided with a plurality of flow channels or wiers 19 between adjacent cavities to provide for equal filling of the cavities when the tray is properly mounted in a level horizontal position.

The ice tray 11 is further provided with an upstanding edge 20 which encompasses the top portion of the tray, and a pair of skirtlike members 21 and 21a which extend the length of the tray. These elements-20, 21 and 21a provide the desired amount of stiffness to the tray while being flexible enough to permit the desired distortion of the tray. To provide the desired rigidity and flexibility, the ice tray 11 is formed as a single molded unit of a high density linear polyethylene, although other types of flexible material might also be satisfactorily employed. The use of high density polyethylene is desirable since the substance is quite strong and durable, resists cracking and tearing when twisted under low temperature conditions, and is relatively rigid while still permitting the desired amount of flexure of the ice tray.

A boss 22 is formed at one end of the ice tray to receive the shaft 13 for mutual rotation therewith. The boss 22 includes a metallic member 23 integrally molded therein and having a shaped bore 23a for receiving the end of shaft 13.

A second boss 24 is integrally molded at the other end of the ice tray and includes a bore 25 for guidingly receiving shaft 13. Further included at the upper portion of the boss 24 is an upperwardly protruding member 26 including a metallic member 27 integrally molded within the member 26 and within the boss 24. Elements 26 and 27 provide an abutment component for striking member 14 of the driving apparatus 12 when the member 14 is in its extended position to provide torque about the longitudinal axis of the ice tray 11, element 27 providing wear resistance to the protruding member 26.

Inasmuch as torque is applied to the tray about its longitudinal axis by way of boss 22, a plurality ofweb members 28-31 are provided between boss 22 and the outer walls of the adjacent ice cavities 15d and 15g.

Attention is invited to FIGS. 2 and 5 which particularly illustrate that each ice cavity has its opening for discharging ice therefrom in the shape of a parallelogram having rounded corners. The parallelogram is an acute parallelogram which is here intended to means a parallelogram having a pair of diagonally oriented acute angles. Each of these parallelograms are defined by the edges of the sidewalls 32-35 of each cavity at the intersection of these sidewalls with the plane member 18. As illustrated in the drawings, the sidewalls integrally merge with each other to form a smooth continuous surface, including a bottom wall, for each cavity. The sidewalls are also contoured such that each cavity is shallow at the corners" 40 and 4| adjacent the acute angles,and more steep and deep at the corners 42 and 43 adjacent the obtuse angles.

As can be seen from FIG. 5, a twist of the ice tray changes the shape of the parallelogram from that of an acute parallelogram toward that of a rectangular parallelogram, indicated by the broken lines 36-311, spreading apart the walls of the cavity except at the corners 40 and 41. This construction prevents a parallelogram shaped ice cube from being pinched by the steep inclined sidewalls of previous designs which tended to prevent the ice from dropping out of the tray as the tray is rotated upside down.

- The shallow portions provided by the inclined sidewallsat comers 40 and 41 develop forces to push the ice up and out of the cavity. Less twisting torque is required for a lesser angle of inclination in cavity design. Further, the provision of shallow inclined walls at only two corners, here corners 40 and 41, with the remaining walls being steep, permits more ice capacity due to a larger cavity volume.

The parallelogram shaped cavities are oriented in the tray 11 with the longest sides, i.e. 32 and 34, being parallel with the longitudinal axis of the tray so that the applied torque provides the greatest amount of cavity distortion and cube release force at corners 40 and 41 per angular degree of twist.

The cavities are further contoured so that the greatest cavity depth is provided at the center point of each cavity, indicated by reference 43in FIGS. 3 and 4. For most typical freezing conditions, this construction enables the last portion of liquid center to freeze and expand out against the cavity bottom to effect a self-releasing force against ice adhesion to the tray ll.

Generally then there has been described herein a twist-type ice gray for use with an automatic ice maker. The ice tray comprises a plurality of particularly contoured cavities having cavity openings in the shape of acute parallelograms. Each of these cavities is contoured such that the depth thereof is less adjacent the acute angles of the parallelogram than at cavity portions adjacent the obtuse angles of the parallelogram. The application of torque to the ice tray distorts the acute parallelogram toward the shape of a rectangular parallelogram effecting a spreading of the cavity sidewalls except at portions adjacent the acute angles, and provides a lifting force to push the ice cube out of the cavity.

The ice tray is constructed with a shaft receiving boss at one end thereof and a portion at the other end thereof for abutment with an extensible member ofa driving apparatus to provide the required torque at a predetermined amount of rotation of the ice tray. Retraction of the extended member provides the twisted ice tray with a snapping motion to further aid in dislodging ice from the cavities. Further, each of the cavities is contoured such that the greatest cavity depth is provided at the center point thereof for enabling the last portion of liquid center to freeze and provide a self-releasing force against ice adhesion to the ice tray.

What I claim is: l. A flexible deformable tray for an ice maker, comprising means defining a plurality of ice cavities each of which includes a cavity opening defined by a parallelogramshaped edge having a pair of acute angles and a pair of obtuse angles, said means including for each cavity tion of said cavities, means connecting said plurality of cavltles In a side-by-slde and end-to-end relation including means defining a weir between each adjacent pair of said cavities, means carried by said tray for connection to a tray rotating apparatus, and means for receiving a stop in abutting con-- tact for impeding rotation of the tray and applying a deforming torque thereto to release ice from said cavities.

2. in a flexible ice tray having at least one ice cavity formed therein which is deformable to release ice therefrom upon the application of a torque about an axis of the tray, the improvement therein comprising a plurality of connected cavity walls defining a cavity opening as a parallelogram having edges defining a cavity opening as a parallelogram having edges defining a pair of acute angles and a pair of obtuse angles,

said plurality of walls smoothly and integrally merging to provide a shaped cavity bottom, the walls adjacent said acute angles merging to form wall portions which are nearer said opening than other portions of said cavity,

the deforming torque being effective to change the shape of said opening toward that of a rectangle and generate ice release forces at said wall portions adjacent said acute angles.

3. A flexible deformable ice tray, as set forth in claim I, wherein each of said bottom walls is contoured for greatest cavity depth at the center thereof to permit the last-frozen center portion of liquid to freeze and expand against said bottom wall effecting a self-releasing force.

4. A flexible deformable ice tray, as set forth in claim I, wherein said means for receiving an abutting stop includes a wear resistant member therein for abutment with the stop.

5. A flexible deformable ice tray, as set forth in claim I, wherein said means for connection to a tray-rotating apparatus comprises a first boss formed at one end of said tray for connection to the tray rotating apparatus and a second boss formed at the other end ofthe tray for guidingly receiving the tray-rotating apparatus.

6. A flexible deformable ice tray, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said means for receiving an abutting stop includes a wear-resistant member disposed in said second boss.

7. A flexible deformable ice tray, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said means for receiving an abutting stop is formed in tegrally with said second boss and includes a wear-resistant member for receiving the abutting contact with the stop.

8. A flexible deformable ice tray, as set forth in claim 5. wherein said means for receiving an abutting contact with the stop includes means protruding from said second boss on the cavity opening side of said tray and a wear-resistant member imbedded within aid second boss and said protruding means.

at a: a: a:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 497 Dated November 16, 1971 Inventor(s) Paul W. Schaff It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 4, read "tray 11" as -tray l1-.

Column 2, line 28, read "15a-15" as -15a15l.

Column 2, line 71, read "means" as --mean-.

Column 3, line 9, read "So-3a" as -36-39-.

Column 3, line 35, read "ice gray" as -ice tray--.

Claim 2, column 4, lines 25 and 26, delete "a cavity opening as a parallelogram having edges defining" as being redundant.

Claim 8, column 4, line 61 read "aid second" as --said second--.

Signed and sealed this 1 1 th day of July 1 972.

(SEAL) Atte st:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents DRM po'w5o USCOMM-DC scans-Pas a Uisi GOVERNHENY PRINYING OFFICE: |9 6-365-33 

1. A flexible deformable tray for an ice maker, comprising means defining a plurality of ice cavities each of which includes a cavity opening defined by a parallelogram-shaped edge having a pair of acute angles and a pair of obtuse angles, said means including for each cavity a plurality of sidewall portions which terminate at said edge and smoothly and integrally merge to form a bottom wall, the sidewall portions adjacent said obtuse angles extending from said edge more steeply than the sidewall portions adjacent said acute angles, and the said wall portions adjacent said acute angles merging nearer said edge than the wall portions adjacent said obtuse angles to provide an upward and outward release force adjacent said acute angles upon deformation of said cavities, means connecting said plurality of cavities in a side-by-side and end-to-end relation including means defining a weir between each adjacent pair of said cavities, means carried by said tray for connection to a tray rotating apparatus, and means for receiving a stop in abutting contact for impeding rotation of the tray and applying a deforming torque thereto to release ice from said cavities.
 2. In a flexible ice tray having at least one ice cavity formed therein which is deformable to release ice therefrom upon the application of a torque about an axis of the tray, the improvement therein comprising a plurality of connected cavity walls defining a cavity opening as a parallelogram having edges defining a cavity opening as a parallelogram having edges defining a pair of acute angles and a pair of obtuse angles, said plurality of walls smoothly and integrally merging to provide a shaped cavity bottom, the walls adjacent said acute angles merging to form wall portions which are nearer said opening than other portions of said cavity, the deforming torque being effective to change the shape of said opening toward that of a rectangle and generate ice release forces at said wall portions adjacent said acute angles.
 3. A flexible deformable ice tray, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said bottom walls is contoured for greatest cavity depth at the center thereof to permit the last-frozen center portion of liquid to freeze and expand against said bottom wall effecting a self-releasing force.
 4. A flexible deformable ice tray, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for receiving an abutting stop includes a wear resistant member therein for abutment with the stop.
 5. A flexible deformable ice tray, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for connection to a tray-rotating apparatus comprises a first boss formed at one end of said tray for connection to the tray rotating apparatus and a second boss formed at the other end of the tray for guidingly receiving the tray-rotating apparatus.
 6. A flexible deformable ice tray, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said means for receiving an abutting stop includes a wear-resistant member disposed in said second boss.
 7. A flexible deformable ice tray, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said means for receiving an abutting stop is formed integrally with said second boss and includes a wear-resistant member for receiving the abutting contact with the stop.
 8. A flexible deformable ice tray, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said means for receiving an abutting contact with the stop includes means protruding from said second boss on the cavity opening side of said tray and a wear-resistant member imbedded within aid second boss and said protruding means. 